In ancient times, there were a wide variety of hairstyles. Amongst them, the snake bun was one of the most difficult to pull off. But, when applied to Tangning, it did not appear like a burden at all. As she was playing a forgotten concubine, she did not wear any fancy hairpins or accessories, yet she looked noble and elegant. Her yellow dress made her look ethereal and warm. But, her eyes contained a cold and unapproachable aura.

Before Qing Lan had traveled through time, she barely wore warm colored colors. But, because the previous emperor had once told her that yellow made her look ethereal and warm, she fell in love with this particular set of clothes. However, her tragic story began from there. Because, from that moment onwards, the emperor never saw her again. Although he didn't throw her into exile, she was practically a forgotten concubine.

"So beautiful...You're honestly beautiful."

It was at this same time that Qing Lan met the neglected prince Jun Yilan. A forgotten concubine took care of a neglected prince. They were only three years apart in age, but they were practically like mother and son.

The Qing Lan in the past wouldn't have been able to guide Jun Yilan. But, the Qing Lan that traveled through time was exceptionally talented.

To prevent his beloved woman from suffering the same fate as someone who was in exile, Jun Yilan strived to take over the throne.

Tangning's heart ached for the two main characters.

At the same time, she couldn't help but feel relieved. Luckily, she lived in the modern world; in a country that was rich, powerful and free.

"If we release these photos to the public, everyone will go crazy! She's much too beautiful!" the makeup artist sighed.

"What about the male lead?" Tangning couldn't help but ask. "I still don't know who the male lead is. You guys must have done a costume fitting for him too, right?"

"Nope," the staff all shook their heads, "We honestly haven't!"

"Fine, I won't make things difficult for you." Perhaps, the only person on set that knew who the male lead was, was the director.

Tangning cooperated for the next two costume fittings and had photos taken while the photographer cheered in excitement. Tangning did not say a word, she simply smiled. After her work was complete, she returned to the set to watch the supporting characters being filmed.

The director was Chen Feng and his filming quality was naturally flawless. But, apart from this, the entire crew were especially focused. It was clear to see that Mo Ting had put in a lot of effort in a short period of time to find a variety of skilled actors. After all, there was nothing more important than good acting. So, Tangning felt a lot more relaxed.

The mystery behind the male lead became an endless topic of discussion amongst the crew. But, Chen Feng did not explain anything. After all, when the time was right, he knew everything would naturally be revealed.

Soon, 'The Forensic Concubine' released Tangning's photos to the public. In an instant, heated discussions filled the air.

"As a fan of 'The Forensic Concubine', I feel relieved after seeing these photos. I'm especially convinced by Tangning's acting, because even her photos are capable of drawing people in."

"Tangning's acting is all in her eyes. They are especially good at sending precise messages. After seeing these photos, I am extra certain that she is suited to being an actress."

"My Ning is gorgeous!"

Afterwards, someone placed Tangning's photo next to Bai Yu's and began comparing them. This was a normal response as both women were hot topics and they were competitors. So, the public wanted to compare their capabilities.

But, even though Bai Yu's fans previously praised her so highly, when placed beside Tangning, she was suddenly like a mere passerby. In fact, she looked especially old next to her.

"I feel like Bai Yu is acting as Tangning's mother..."

"Haha, I know right. Previously, when I looked at Bai Yu, I thought she looked OK with her thick and stunning makeup. She completely had the powerful presence of 'Concubine Ning'. But, now that she is placed next to Tangning, anyone can point out her flaws."

Bai Yu's fans immediately retaliated.

"The two of them are from different periods, of course you can't compare them."

"Exactly. The headpiece on Tangning's head is heavy enough to squash her to death."

Seeing this, 'The Forensic Concubine' released photos of Tangning in her empress dowager costume. Now, the two women were on the same level, the fans had nothing else to say. Because, even when Bai Yu's​ costume and makeup changed to another stage in life, her gaze was still the same. On the other hand, Tangning was different. As a forgotten concubine, she looked cold and miserable, but as an empress dowager, she appeared powerful but helpless. She said it all in her gaze.

"Simply looking at the photos, Tangning is the winner."

"I've always felt that Tangning was born with the gift of acting because she has a good level of understanding. Although other people can be trained, they can't compare to her."

"Look at the way that Bai Yu's fans over-exaggerate with their praises and end up slapping each other in the face. It sure is an eye-opener."

"Although I already know the story, I can't wait to see Tangning act it out. It will definately be fun to watch."

"Although the male lead is a bit of a shame, I still hope to see photos of them together."

"Exactly..."

The public's reaction was due to the assumption that Huangfu​ Shuo was the male lead. But, even after Tangning had been on set for a few days, no one had heard anything about the male lead even though Tangning and Huangfu Shuo had already met. In reality, Huangfu Shuo liked being around people, whereas Tangning preferred peace and quiet. The two merely tolerated each other, but they didn't have much to chat about because their personalities were too different.

Huangfu Shuo was like the life of the set. Whenever he heard other's gossip, he would play along with them, "Yes, I'm the male lead. Who else would suit the role better than me? You guys keep talking about the male lead all day. Am I not handsome enough?"

In reality, 'The Forensic Concubine' had no intention of revealing their male lead; it was a part of their plan.

"Yu Jie, it seems like this is all the other production has. After all, the male lead isn't very favorable," Bai Yu's assistant comforted her. "They've already thrown their ultimate move. Let's see what else they can do in future to attract attention."

Perhaps, the only flaw with 'The Forensic Concubine' was the fact that Huangfu Shuo wasn't suitable for the male lead. However, at this time, a fan suddenly questioned on the drama's official website, "The website still hasn't officially announced their male lead. It's still a surprise. I'm going to anticipate the day when the mystery is revealed."

Huangfu Shuo had manipulated the public for so long because he wanted to divert Bai Yu's attention. So, now that filming had commenced, he could finally clarify everything.

As a result, the public were shocked.

"It turns out, Huangfu Shuo isn't the male lead!"

"So he's not the male lead. Haha, I found myself subconsciously breathing a sigh of relief."

"In that case, who could it be? I'm really looking forward to finding out!"

Creator's Thought

Sorry for being a little late with this chapter. I was on a 5 hour bus in Mexico (phew). Now that I've finally checked in and have Wi-Fi, I can start uploading chapters again. Enjoy! By the way, any readers from Mexico?

The country will go up in flames once the pics are out!! Yippee!! Slay ‘em Daddy Mo & Mommy Mo! That Huangshuo guy really wana take revenge on Baiyu, good for him! At least he knows who Baiyu is before they got married!

funky_monkey1 year ago

When The Forensic Concubine's team release who the male lead. all of ur jaws will need a support coz they'll all drop to the ground. Mwahahahahahah